Collapsible clothing container



Oct. 17, 1944. A. TONE 2,360,451

COLLAPSIBLE CLOTHING CONTAINER Filed June 2, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 iii I VENTOR. V ABRAHAM STONE fa/rug r w 4770 RNEYS Oct. 17, 1944. A. STONE 2,360,451

COLLAPS IBLE CLOTHING CONTAINER Filed June 2, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 V ENTOR. A 7 a A'B/ HA/v Sw/YE @Mww Patented Oct. 17, 1944 UNITED STATES egTENT OFFICE COLLAPSIBLE CLOTHING CONTAINER Abraham Stone, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application June 2, 1942, Serial No. 445,463

1 Claim.

This invention relates to fabricated containers of the wardrobe type which are particularly designed for the storage of clothing and which are adapted to be stored, sold and shipped in a compact knocked-down condition and to be set-up for use by the purchaser.

Some of the principal objects of the present invention are to produce an improved wardrobe of the indicated character which is so constructed and arranged as to provide a comparatively permanent structure, the elements of which are reenforced and interfitted so as to obtain a maximum of strength and durability from the weight and cost of the materials employed, while providing a structure wherein the elements or sections thereof may be readily assembled and secured together by unskilled persons and without the use of other than the usual household tools and implements.

More particularly the invention is directed to a wardrobe in which the walls thereof consist of paneling formed with rigid material framing elements secured thereto at the factory and fashioned so as to be easily interfitted and secured in assembled relation.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, reference is now made to the following specification and accompanying drawings in which there is illustrated the preferred form of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a collective perspective view of the wardrobe showing the front, rear, side and bottom wall units in separated juxtaposition.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the wardrobe taken approximately on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken approximately on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken approximately on the line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken approximately on the line 55 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, A designates generally the front wall unit, B the rear wall unit, C-C the side wall units and DD the top and bottom wall units.

The front wall unit A consists of a frame made up of a pair of vertical side frame members or stiles l0 and upper and lower horizontal frame members or cross bars II and I2, the latter bars H and I2 being of greater thickness than the side stiles and having their forward corners vertically rabbeted as at l3 to receive the upper and lower end portions of the side stiles Ii Each of the side stiles I0 is formed with a longitudinally extending groove M in the rear face thereof with the innermost side wall of the groove disposed flush with the end edge of the bar and the side stiles and cross bars being secured together by nails or other equivalent fastening devices Hi to define an opening 15 bymeans of which access is gained 'to the interior of the wardrobe. Closure means is provided for the access opening It defined by the frame and in the present instance said closure means consists of a pair of doors ll swingably connected to the frame by hinges I8 respectively secured to the doors and t0 the side stiles Ill. Where a pair of doors is employed, as illustrated, a vertical parting strip i9 is secured at its upper and lower ends respectively to the upper and lower cross bars H and I2.

The rear wall unit B consists of a rectangular panel 29 and a frame composed of a pair of vertical side frame members or stiles 2| formed with grooves 22 on the confronting side faces thereof and fitted over the vertical side edges of the panel. The frame also includes upper and lower horizontal frame members or cross bars 23 which are also provided on the confronting upper and lower faces respectively with grooves 24 which receive the upper and lower edges of the panel. The upper and lower bars 23 are of greater thickness than the stiles 2| and are formed at their rear corners with vertical rabbets 25 to receive the upper and lower ends of the side stiles 2| and are secured to said side stiles by nails or equivalent fastening devices 26. The forward faces of the side stiles 2! are provided with longitudinally extending grooves 21, the inner side walls of which are flush with the end edges of the upper and lower cross bars 23.

The side wall units C are each composed of a panel 30 and upper and lower horizontal frame bars 3| and 32 provided with grooves 33 on their confronting faces within which are fitted the upper and lower ecEe portions of the panel 30 which are secured thereto by nails or other fastening devices 34. The opposite ends of the upper and lower frame strips 3! and 32 are formed with projecting tongues 35 corresponding in thickness to the thickness of the panel and with the end edges of the tongues terminating flush with the forward and rear edges of the panel for interfitting engagement of the tongues 35 and forward and rear edge portions of the panel 30 in the grooves l4 and 2'! respectively of the front and rear wall units to provide a rectangular body for the wardrobe.

The top and bottom wall units are of identical construction and each consists of a rectangular panel 38 and a marginal frame consisting of front, rear and side sections 39 having grooves 40 on the confronting inner faces thereof fitted over the longitudinal edges of the panel with the sections secured together in any desired manner such as by corrugated miter nails 4|.

The upper face of the frame of the bottom wall unit and the lower face of the frame of the top wall unit are recessed or rabbeted as at 42 to telescopically fit over the upper and lower ends of the assembled front, rear and side wall units defining the body to retain the same in assembled relation and the top and bottom wall units D are secured in place in any desired manner such as by nails or equivalent fastening devices 43 which are driven through the frame sections 39 into the upper and lower ends of the stiles Ill and 2 I.

The frame members of the wall units are constructed of wood, while the panels 20 and 30 of the rear wall units C and the side wall units D are constructed of corrugated cardboard, fiberboard or the like, or the same may be made of laminated fiberboard.

What is claimed is: I

A fabricated wardrobe structure including front, rear, side and top and bottom wall units adapted to be interfitted and secured together, said front Wall unit consisting of a frame having apair of vertical side stiles each formed with a longitudinally extending groove in the rear face and upper and lower horizontal bars each having rabbeted opposite ends fitted over and secured to the opposite ends of the side stiles to define an access opening closure means for said opening; the rear wall unit consisting of a rectangular panel and a frame composed of a pair of vertical side frame members grooved in the confronting side faces and fitted over the vertical side edges of the panel and having longitudinally extending grooves in the forward faces thereof and upper and lower horizontal frame members grooved on the confronting faces and fitted over the upper and lower edges of the panel with rabbeted opposite ends fitting over and secured respectively to the upper and lower ends of the vertical side frame members; the side wall units each composed of a panel and upper and lower horizontal frame strips grooved on the confronting faces and fitting over the upper and lower edges of the panel and said frame strips being rabbeted at the opposite ends thereof to define inner and outer shoulders and projecting tongues corresponding in thickness to that of the panel and terminating flush with the forward and rear edges of the panel for interfitting of said tongues together with the forward and rear edges of the panel within the grooves of the front and rear wall units and with the inner shoulders abutting against the upper and lower horizontal bars of the front and rear Wall frames and with outer shoulders abutting against the side stiles of the front and rear wall frames, and top and bottom wall units each including a panel and a marginal frame rabbeted to telescopically fit over the upper and lower ends of the assembled front, rear and side wall units.

ABRAHAM STONE. 

